Express Food Group (EFG)

INSIDE ONE OF ASIA’S MOST TRUSTED F&B OPERATORS

EXPRESS FOOD GROUP (EFG)

T

here is no sincerer love than the love of food, Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw was once quoted as saying.

Food isn’t just about nutrition; it’s also a way of celebrating cultural identity and bringing people together.

Making memories through food is something that Martin Darby, Managing Director of Express Food Group (EFG), has long been passionate about.

“Dine-in has been the bedrock of the local F&B industry and with many local festivals and the important position of family, we see the dining experience continuing to grow and evolve, especially in our provincial cities,” he says.

Martin joined EFG in 2019 after an illustrious career in the industry, in the belief that the company is perfectly positioned to become one of the top F&B operators in Asia.

His optimism is easy to explain.

EFG employs over 1,500 people and has a strong operational presence in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

It is a partner of choice for leading brands in Southeast Asia – including several owned by Minor Food and Food Passion Group – as well as internationally known brands from the US, like Dairy Queen International and Krispy Kreme.

“We see our mission as understanding our customer needs and bringing them a portfolio of the best, most trusted local and international restaurant and kiosk brands,” Martin explains.

The Managing Director believes that EFG is able to stand apart as a partner of choice for F&B brands in the region thanks to its in-depth knowledge of local markets.

“We know our customers and markets intimately and therefore are able to work with our franchisors in developing innovative Instagrammable new food and beverage products,” Martin adds.

“Through local social media influencers and our number one 2 | APAC Outlook issue 46

A Passion for Good Food

EFG Group is helping bring people across Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos together through its internationally renowned food and beverage offerings Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Donovan Smith

FOOD & DRINK

APAC Outlook issue 46 | 3

EXPRESS FOOD GROUP (EFG)

EFG’S BRANDS

Other franchised brands include:

Minor Food is one of Asia’s largest casual dining franchises, with 2,300 outlets across 27 countries.

EFG is a franchisee for three of its brands across three territories:

DAIRY QUEEN: Iconic soft-serve ice-cream treats, DQ is the fastest growing soft serve ice cream brand in Asia. EFG is a direct franchisee of Dairy Queen International, operating 19 outlets across Cambodia and Laos.

THE PIZZA COMPANY: A much-loved pizza brand specialising in chunky, wholesome toppings. EFG represents the brand across Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

BAR B Q PLAZA: This premium barbeque restaurant was developed in Thailand in 1987 by Food Passion Group and is going from strength to strength. EFG operates five restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

SWENSEN’S: An ice-cream parlour founded in San Francisco, Swensen’s arrived at Minor Food in 1986 and is a favourite brand that many recall from their childhood days. EFG represents it in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

TEXAS CHICKEN: Founded in Texas as Church’s Chicken in 1952, this is one of the largest quick-serve chicken restaurant chains in the world. It specialises in handmade battered chicken and honey-butter biscuits, and can be found in 1,500 locations across 23 countries.

EFG has two flagship restaurants in Vientiane, Laos.

THE COFFEE CLUB: Australia’s largest home-grown café group, offering a unique café-bar-restaurant experience. EFG operates The Coffee Club in Siem Reap Airport, Aeon Mall and Phnom Penh’s BKK district.

presence in the market, we can bring these brands to the widest possible audience.”

A key factor that distinguishes EFG from other Southeast Asian F&B businesses is its skill in relationship building.

“To us relationships matter, and we go out of our way to build close relationships with our franchise partners, our customers and our employees,” Martin says.

Franchise partners can be assured that EFG will maintain high standards of quality, service and cleanliness, and will invest on building their brands in the region.

Furthermore, EFG can be assured of the backing of its parent company, RMA Group, which provides procurement and logistics support to EFG from Bangkok, where most of its inventory is purchased. It operates an international benchmarked product recall and tracing system, with food storage in temperature controlled warehouses in Phnom Penh, Yangon 4 | APAC Outlook issue 46

KRISPY KREME: Hugely loved American doughnut brand sold across the world. EFG has opened multiple kiosks in Phnom Penh supported by a state of the art doughnut factory.

and Vientiane, ensuring products always remain fresh and at their best.

Furthermore, sourcing from within the region enables EFG to provide food at good value prices to customers.

Meanwhile, EFG also realises the importance of employee satisfaction, and invests significant time in staff development, training and wellbeing.

It offers a diverse set of careers – from

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EXPRESS FOOD GROUP (EFG)

restaurant operations to delivery drivers and support services like finance and supply chain – as well as offering brand-specific training by some of the world’s leading international F&B brands.

EXPANSION AND DIGITAL INNOVATION Over the next couple of years, EFG intends to push substantial growth of its physical stores, expanding into provincial cities and the suburbs of Phnom Penh, Vientiane and Yangon.

It is also working on opening multiple delivery-focused outlets of The Pizza Company over the next 12 months, the first of which was launched in March 2020. The Pizza Company is one of Minor Food’ 6 | APAC Outlook issue 46

“OUR LATEST PROJECT LAUNCHING IN 2021 IS AN INNOVATIVE CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAMME. OUR BRAND PORTFOLIO WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND A FORWARD THINKING, EXCITING AND CUSTOMER CENTRIC APPROACH IS GUARANTEED”

brands, which originated in Thailand in 2001 and has since established over 500 outlets across 10 countries.

Another notable project EFG undertook in April 2020 was the building of a purpose-built Krispy Kreme HACCP standard production unit in Phnom Penh, catering to ever-increasing demand for what is arguably the world’s most popular doughnut brand.

But then coronavirus hit. EFG’s countries of operation – Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar – may have seen only a few cases, but its populations were still subject to strict lockdowns and, later, social distancing measures. However, Martin remains optimistic in the face of the pandemic.

T

he food and cold chain industry in Asian countries is expected to witness a significant growth in the coming years. With the increase of trade in Southeast Asia, the food and cold-chain industry is being seen as panacea for food wastage and a boost to the cold chain logistics industry. The growing urban population and changing consumer perception boost the demand for food and cold chain logistics, which is rapidly growing in Southeast Asia.

Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented stresses on food supply chains, with bottlenecks in farm labour, processing, transport and logistics, as well as momentous shifts in demand. Most of these disruptions are a result of policies adopted to contain the spread of the virus. While the impacts of COVID-19 are still unfolding, experience so far shows the importance of an open and predictable international trade environment to ensure food can move to where it is needed.

In addition, E-commerce has given consumers access to goods and commodities that were previously out of their reach, from imported groceries to trendy cosmetics, including temperature-controlled food items such as chilled and frozen. The basic perception of the consumers regarding chilled and frozen food has been changing significantly, coupled with rapid urbanization, where frozen food is moving more online. “Under a joint venture between RMA Group and JWD Group, the logistics operation has been established to support the growth of EFG as well as other customers in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos cluster through providing the state-of-art logistics operation covering cross-border transport network from Thailand as a hub, freight forwarding, warehouse and cold storage, local distribution, etc. The integrated logistics solution has provided significant value proposition to support the business growth by creating an efficiency and costeffectiveness throughout the entire food supply chain.�

Tanate says.

Among the top food and cold chain sectors, Food services and restaurant is an important sector in many ASEAN countries and serves as an important food supply and distribution channels for all these countries.

Furthermore, there is an increasing demand for chilled and frozen food , as consumers around the world recognize an access to food during COVID-19. The implementation of cold chain logistics for food services and restaurant in the ASEAN region involves many challenges.

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Mr. Tanate Piriyothinkul, Chief Commercial Officer JWD Group

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EXPRESS FOOD GROUP (EFG)

CAREER SNAPSHOT

MARTIN DARBY “My first ever job was in the F&B industry as a teenager, washing-up in the kitchens of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s father’s restaurant. I loved the camaraderie, the pace and excitement of a busy Saturday night, and I was immediately hooked on the business. In the early 90s I had the chance to work with UK hospitality giant Whitbread, developing and rolling out family dining restaurants under the brand name Brewers Fayre. At the turn of the millennium I was honoured to be approached by Starbucks Coffee to help launch their now global coffee brand in the United Kingdom, before moving here to Asia in the mid-noughties.

“After a few years in other businesses I returned to F&B in 2018 as CEO of a familyprivate equity funded business, headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City. In February 2019 I joined EFG, initially based in Bangkok, before moving the operational headquarters to our fast-growing market here in Cambodia. I joined EFG because I shared the vision of our Founder-CEO and private equity partners that we are well positioned to build a fabulous #1 Asian food and beverage business.”

8 | APAC Outlook issue 46

“COVID-19 has affected the business in terms of temporary and localised disruptions to dine-in services, but has also led to customers seeking out trusted international brands where we have been able to play our part,” he says. “We have continued to open new stores and, unless required by government to close, have operated all stores throughout the pandemic.”

The COVID-19 outbreak has also led to EFG accelerating its digitisation strategy through a variety of services,

introducing contactless delivery, e-payments, e-menus and at-curb collection.

It is also in the process of rolling out its ecommerce delivery business, Hungry?™, which will soon cover all of Phnom Penh. Its key offering is HungryApp™, a revolutionary food and delivery app which will enable customers to select items from its multiple trusted brands in a single order. It also offers a free, 30-minute delivery, and will cater to

FOOD & DRINK

EFG represents many well-known brands across Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar a growing market for takeaway and home delivered food which has been accelerated by the pandemic.

“Our physical store presence will be complimented by a fast expanding ecommerce delivery business, the potential growth of more owned brands and the arrival of new international brands,” Martin comments.

“Our latest project launching in 2021 is an innovative customer loyalty programme. Our brand portfolio will continue to evolve and a forward thinking, exciting and customer centric approach is guaranteed.”

In short, the Managing Director is positive about the future of EFG. “We are long-term investors and remain positive on the future growth potential of each of the markets where

we trade,” he confirms.

This is in part due to infrastructure growth in the region. For example, the Kunming-Vientiane railway, scheduled to launch in late 2021, will open up provincial Lao cities and facilitate growth of F&B businesses.

The Cambodian government is investing in intercity roads and rail networks, and Myanmar cities such as Naypyidaw and Mandalay demonstrate fantastic growth potential.

“EFG is extremely well placed to take advantage of these growth

opportunities and has the portfolio of brands and now an ecommerce delivery aggregator business to meet the fast changing needs of local and expat customers seeking trusted brands,” Martin concludes.

EXPRESS FOOD GROUP (EFG) Tel: (+855)23887788 EFG.C@rmagroup.net www.efg.rmagroup.net

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EXPRESS FOOD GROUP CO. LTD. City Tower Building 07 Floor.

No 321. Mao Tse Tung Blvd.

Phsa Depo 1 Quarter.

Toul Kork District.

Phnom Penh.

Kingdom of Cambodia Tel: (+855)23887788 EFG.C@rmagroup.net www.efg.rmagroup.net PRODUCED BY APAC OUTLOOK MAGAZINE